Parents in East Lancs fined £129k for school term holidays

LANCASHIRE parents have topped a nationwide table of those fined for taking their children out of school during term time last year.

The number of fines issued to parents of children in Lancashire County Council-controlled schools rocketed from 1,125 in 2012/13 to 3,106 in 2013/14 - a year-on-year increase of 176 per cent.

Blackburn with Darwen (BwD) Council collected 456 fines last year, an 85 per cent jump from its 2012/13 figures.

The county council, which maintains 647 schools, received more than £129,000 in fines last year, and almost £50,000 the previous year.

County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: “As Lancashire County Council is one of the biggest councils in the country, and has more schools than any other local authority, then it stands to reason that we will be near the top of any kind of table based purely on numbers.

“I must emphasize once again that these are national regulations which were brought in by the Department for Education last September, and which headteachers must follow. These regulations place very strict limits on the circumstances in which children can be taken out of school.”

Tighter rules, which restrict parents taking children out of school for holidays during term-time to ‘exceptional circumstances’, were introduced by the Government in September last year.

Parents are fined £60 per parent per child per period of absence, which rises to £120 if not paid within 21 days.

A survey of 118 English local authorities, carried out by the BBC, found that just under 64,000 fines were handed out between September 2013 and July 2014, compared to 37,650 in the previous academic year - a rise of almost 70 per cent.

Coun Dave Harling, executive member for schools and education at BwD Council, said: “The government changed the rules last September so that schools lost their discretion to allow 10 days holiday during term time.

“These penalty notices are issued at the request of our schools and the money received in fines covers administration costs, with any additional funds returned to the Exchequer. However, we do know that good attendance is a significant factor in educational achievement.”

Comments (28)

There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways!

There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways!woolywords

this infuriates me - my child has had a lot of time off school due to being incapacitated on 3 separate occasions. On each of these occasions I asked the school to provide school work that I would collect so my child did not fall behind. My requests were ignored! An exam was also scheduled and I offered to take my child into school to allow them to complete the exam and stay until it was completed. Again, my request was ignored and he did not attend the exam. School eventually obtained a wheelchair for my child and was therefore able to attend school only to be made sit alone in a downstairs classroom, no supervision and in a 4 day period received just 3 pieces of coursework to do, 2 on the first day and one of the 4th. I refused to send my child in for the last 8 days before the end of summer term as moral was so low and child was in permanent tears feeling they were being punished for breaking their foot and being isolated in a room all day was doing no good whatsoever apart from keeping schools attendance 'statistics' up! Can I 'fine' the school for them not tutoring my child like they fine parents for taking their children out of school and missing 'valuable' education? Surely my child was denied more education in the time they were absent than the children taken out for holidays. Rant over!

this infuriates me - my child has had a lot of time off school due to being incapacitated on 3 separate occasions. On each of these occasions I asked the school to provide school work that I would collect so my child did not fall behind. My requests were ignored! An exam was also scheduled and I offered to take my child into school to allow them to complete the exam and stay until it was completed. Again, my request was ignored and he did not attend the exam. School eventually obtained a wheelchair for my child and was therefore able to attend school only to be made sit alone in a downstairs classroom, no supervision and in a 4 day period received just 3 pieces of coursework to do, 2 on the first day and one of the 4th. I refused to send my child in for the last 8 days before the end of summer term as moral was so low and child was in permanent tears feeling they were being punished for breaking their foot and being isolated in a room all day was doing no good whatsoever apart from keeping schools attendance 'statistics' up! Can I 'fine' the school for them not tutoring my child like they fine parents for taking their children out of school and missing 'valuable' education? Surely my child was denied more education in the time they were absent than the children taken out for holidays. Rant over!live.ur.life

woolywords wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways!

Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?

[quote][p][bold]woolywords[/bold] wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways![/p][/quote]Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?Emmabirdy

Exposing a child to foreign influences during a holiday can teach a child just as much as being in class. A week or two away during term time should be no detriment to the child. They can easily catch up with course work on their return.

Exposing a child to foreign influences during a holiday can teach a child just as much as being in class. A week or two away during term time should be no detriment to the child. They can easily catch up with course work on their return.A Darener

woolywords wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways!

Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?

The 'teacher training' / INSET days (totalling 5 days), are agreed before the start of the academic year - thus, they are not many! It is during these days that staff are updated on new standards, changes in the curriculum objectives, undertake first aid training, learn how to administer life saving medications ( in my case - to administer adrenaline via an epipen and insulin for a young diabetic who can't manage it herself) as well as updates on previous child protection protocol....all this is just 2 days INSET at the beginning of September!

[quote][p][bold]Emmabirdy[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]woolywords[/bold] wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways![/p][/quote]Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?[/p][/quote]The 'teacher training' / INSET days (totalling 5 days), are agreed before the start of the academic year - thus, they are not many! It is during these days that staff are updated on new standards, changes in the curriculum objectives, undertake first aid training, learn how to administer life saving medications ( in my case - to administer adrenaline via an epipen and insulin for a young diabetic who can't manage it herself) as well as updates on previous child protection protocol....all this is just 2 days INSET at the beginning of September!Sister Wendy

A Darener wrote:
So what did the teachers do about all these problems before inset days? Some of my classmates had life threatening problems in the 50/60's the schools coped without inset days.

They also taught facts by rote rather than skills, without having to differentiate for children's abilities and of course, they had the cane to keep all the pupils in tow!!! Bring back the good old days, eh?

[quote][p][bold]A Darener[/bold] wrote:
So what did the teachers do about all these problems before inset days? Some of my classmates had life threatening problems in the 50/60's the schools coped without inset days.[/p][/quote]They also taught facts by rote rather than skills, without having to differentiate for children's abilities and of course, they had the cane to keep all the pupils in tow!!! Bring back the good old days, eh?Sister Wendy

Maybe Sister Wendy it's time we brought back the rote skills as most of today's pupils cannot do their times tables. In fact my 7 year old grandson brought home some maths homework and the teacher had given an example which was wrong.

Maybe Sister Wendy it's time we brought back the rote skills as most of today's pupils cannot do their times tables. In fact my 7 year old grandson brought home some maths homework and the teacher had given an example which was wrong.Green machine

A Darener wrote:
So what did the teachers do about all these problems before inset days? Some of my classmates had life threatening problems in the 50/60's the schools coped without inset days.

They also taught facts by rote rather than skills, without having to differentiate for children's abilities and of course, they had the cane to keep all the pupils in tow!!! Bring back the good old days, eh?

I assume you are being Facetious? But! Yes! Bring back the good old days.
If I had known then what I know now I would never have left school, cane or no cane! Some children leave school today unable to read or write, so what have the teachers been doing for the last few years? Blame it on dyslexia, ADHD or whatever fancy words they can come up with. Educationalists are only interested in getting as many pupils into university as possible. Well all those pupils that left school in the 60's with just GCE's and went into trades and industry are the backbone of the country without whom we could not function. Plumbers, electricians, mechanics. Having a degree will not help our future artisans, where will they come from? That is why we should teach skills in schools not just how to pass examinations.

[quote][p][bold]Sister Wendy[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]A Darener[/bold] wrote:
So what did the teachers do about all these problems before inset days? Some of my classmates had life threatening problems in the 50/60's the schools coped without inset days.[/p][/quote]They also taught facts by rote rather than skills, without having to differentiate for children's abilities and of course, they had the cane to keep all the pupils in tow!!! Bring back the good old days, eh?[/p][/quote]I assume you are being Facetious? But! Yes! Bring back the good old days.
If I had known then what I know now I would never have left school, cane or no cane! Some children leave school today unable to read or write, so what have the teachers been doing for the last few years? Blame it on dyslexia, ADHD or whatever fancy words they can come up with. Educationalists are only interested in getting as many pupils into university as possible. Well all those pupils that left school in the 60's with just GCE's and went into trades and industry are the backbone of the country without whom we could not function. Plumbers, electricians, mechanics. Having a degree will not help our future artisans, where will they come from? That is why we should teach skills in schools not just how to pass examinations.A Darener

woolywords wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways!

Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?

The 'teacher training' / INSET days (totalling 5 days), are agreed before the start of the academic year - thus, they are not many! It is during these days that staff are updated on new standards, changes in the curriculum objectives, undertake first aid training, learn how to administer life saving medications ( in my case - to administer adrenaline via an epipen and insulin for a young diabetic who can't manage it herself) as well as updates on previous child protection protocol....all this is just 2 days INSET at the beginning of September!

I regret to inform you that you seem to labour under some form of delusion here, in that, all this training takes place on an annual basis and therefore requires time off to do it.
A First Aid certificate lasts for 3 years then requires only 3 hours to 'refresh' it, for another 3 years. The ratio of First Aiders to pupils isn't as great as you seem to imply, in reality.
You should check with the Health and Safety Executive, regarding your administering anything other that the very basics of First Aid. You are not allowed to administer to anyone in your care, any medicines, whatsoever. Just ask anyone whom works in a factory if their First Aiders will give them an aspirin.
Your implication that say, a Math teacher requires training to deliver a changed curriculum objective, when teaching Pythagorean, Euclidean or even Trigonometric theorems, just won't wash with me, so needs revision; since all them have been around for centuries and haven't changed at all!
The fact that, even in this day and age, children still leave school, after over 12 years in your care, barely able to read or with a poor grasp of most basic Math, speaks volumes as to your abilities to teach at all!
...
I served for 8 years as a school governor and know exactly why these days are taken in term time; which was a bone of contention then, as much as it is now. Our school opened on the proper dates, utilising accredited supply teachers, so that pupils needs were put first.
...
Where the modern curriculum is heading, I've not a clue but, and this I do know; your constant tweaking of the lessons, with no other outcome than achieving higher annual mark in testing, is leaving our children, bereft of any knowledge that you should be imparting to them.
You are the perfect examples of that old axiom, 'those whom can, do; those whom cannot, teach.
Am utterly thankful that I was taught by school masters, whom held a degree in their topics; unlike today, where teachers, with less than 4 'A' levels and clutching a teacher training certificate, are let loose upon unsuspecting parents loved ones.

[quote][p][bold]Sister Wendy[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Emmabirdy[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]woolywords[/bold] wrote:
There really needs to be a 'test case' prosecution of schools who deny children the many days of education throughout the year with teacher training days, that always seem to be tagged on at the end of Summer or other long holidays.
They can't have it both ways![/p][/quote]Just when do you expect teachers and support staff to learn new skills and gain the knowledge to support the children's learning if they don't have those training days you don't seem to think are worthwhile?[/p][/quote]The 'teacher training' / INSET days (totalling 5 days), are agreed before the start of the academic year - thus, they are not many! It is during these days that staff are updated on new standards, changes in the curriculum objectives, undertake first aid training, learn how to administer life saving medications ( in my case - to administer adrenaline via an epipen and insulin for a young diabetic who can't manage it herself) as well as updates on previous child protection protocol....all this is just 2 days INSET at the beginning of September![/p][/quote]I regret to inform you that you seem to labour under some form of delusion here, in that, all this training takes place on an annual basis and therefore requires time off to do it.
A First Aid certificate lasts for 3 years then requires only 3 hours to 'refresh' it, for another 3 years. The ratio of First Aiders to pupils isn't as great as you seem to imply, in reality.
You should check with the Health and Safety Executive, regarding your administering anything other that the very basics of First Aid. You are not allowed to administer to anyone in your care, any medicines, whatsoever. Just ask anyone whom works in a factory if their First Aiders will give them an aspirin.
Your implication that say, a Math teacher requires training to deliver a changed curriculum objective, when teaching Pythagorean, Euclidean or even Trigonometric theorems, just won't wash with me, so needs revision; since all them have been around for centuries and haven't changed at all!
The fact that, even in this day and age, children still leave school, after over 12 years in your care, barely able to read or with a poor grasp of most basic Math, speaks volumes as to your abilities to teach at all!
...
I served for 8 years as a school governor and know exactly why these days are taken in term time; which was a bone of contention then, as much as it is now. Our school opened on the proper dates, utilising accredited supply teachers, so that pupils needs were put first.
...
Where the modern curriculum is heading, I've not a clue but, and this I do know; your constant tweaking of the lessons, with no other outcome than achieving higher annual mark in testing, is leaving our children, bereft of any knowledge that you should be imparting to them.
You are the perfect examples of that old axiom, 'those whom can, do; those whom cannot, teach.
Am utterly thankful that I was taught by school masters, whom held a degree in their topics; unlike today, where teachers, with less than 4 'A' levels and clutching a teacher training certificate, are let loose upon unsuspecting parents loved ones.woolywords

It's simple. All our country want is for every body to earn as little as possible tax us as much as possible and fine people for spending time with there family not everybody can afford holidays in school holiday time it's a joke it's all about the government and they pay rises every year a•• holes

It's simple. All our country want is for every body to earn as little as possible tax us as much as possible and fine people for spending time with there family not everybody can afford holidays in school holiday time it's a joke it's all about the government and they pay rises every year a•• holesMe Telling You

Me Telling You wrote:
It's simple. All our country want is for every body to earn as little as possible tax us as much as possible and fine people for spending time with there family not everybody can afford holidays in school holiday time it's a joke it's all about the government and they pay rises every year a•• holes

Obviously a graduate of the modern teaching techniques.

[quote][p][bold]Me Telling You[/bold] wrote:
It's simple. All our country want is for every body to earn as little as possible tax us as much as possible and fine people for spending time with there family not everybody can afford holidays in school holiday time it's a joke it's all about the government and they pay rises every year a•• holes[/p][/quote]Obviously a graduate of the modern teaching techniques.A Darener

Interesting that people are blaming schools and teachers for something imposed by the government by law last year. Many schools are frustrated that they can't use sensible discretion in dealing with parents requests. But the government has removed the ability for schools to use their own judgement.

Interesting that people are blaming schools and teachers for something imposed by the government by law last year. Many schools are frustrated that they can't use sensible discretion in dealing with parents requests. But the government has removed the ability for schools to use their own judgement.Excluded again

Children still attend school for as many days as they have always done. The 5 teacher training days were taken from the holidays. They are generally tagged onto major holidays to create the least inconvenience to parents.

Children still attend school for as many days as they have always done. The 5 teacher training days were taken from the holidays. They are generally tagged onto major holidays to create the least inconvenience to parents.harwoodlogic

zabby wrote:
Do muslim parents get fined for taking kids out of school to visit their ancestors homelands,or are they exempt and a law to themselves

There are no exemptions from the law for Muslim pupils.

[quote][p][bold]zabby[/bold] wrote:
Do muslim parents get fined for taking kids out of school to visit their ancestors homelands,or are they exempt and a law to themselves[/p][/quote]There are no exemptions from the law for Muslim pupils.Excluded again

DoggydogNo1 wrote:
Just had a week away with my son and saved 300 quid by taking him out of school a week early! Not gonna stop me!

Would an immediate prison sentence make you think twice about doing it? I think it would the majority of parents! If there's a immediate prison sentence hanging over your head for taking a kid out of school before official holidays or in termtime then I think the punishment would overrule the risk you take doing it.

[quote][p][bold]DoggydogNo1[/bold] wrote:
Just had a week away with my son and saved 300 quid by taking him out of school a week early! Not gonna stop me![/p][/quote]Would an immediate prison sentence make you think twice about doing it? I think it would the majority of parents! If there's a immediate prison sentence hanging over your head for taking a kid out of school before official holidays or in termtime then I think the punishment would overrule the risk you take doing it.AnthonyUK

The dreadful examination performance of pupils with good attendance at school doesn't help the case for discouraging holidays in term time. Recall the affair at Norden earlier this year in which the head of this so-so* school refused permission for a pupil to accompany his grandfather on a last holiday before the latter's death. The pupil took the holiday. What valuable learning was missed?

*"In 2013, the school's result was in the bottom 40% of similar schools' results, and in the bottom 40% of all schools." (Ofsted)

The dreadful examination performance of pupils with good attendance at school doesn't help the case for discouraging holidays in term time. Recall the affair at Norden earlier this year in which the head of this so-so* school refused permission for a pupil to accompany his grandfather on a last holiday before the latter's death. The pupil took the holiday. What valuable learning was missed?
*"In 2013, the school's result was in the bottom 40% of similar schools' results, and in the bottom 40% of all schools." (Ofsted)Graham Hartley

DoggydogNo1 wrote:
Just had a week away with my son and saved 300 quid by taking him out of school a week early! Not gonna stop me!

Would an immediate prison sentence make you think twice about doing it? I think it would the majority of parents! If there's a immediate prison sentence hanging over your head for taking a kid out of school before official holidays or in termtime then I think the punishment would overrule the risk you take doing it.

Let's put an armed truancy officer at every street corner; perhaps two, so that one can reload whilst the other maintains fire.

[quote][p][bold]AnthonyUK[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]DoggydogNo1[/bold] wrote:
Just had a week away with my son and saved 300 quid by taking him out of school a week early! Not gonna stop me![/p][/quote]Would an immediate prison sentence make you think twice about doing it? I think it would the majority of parents! If there's a immediate prison sentence hanging over your head for taking a kid out of school before official holidays or in termtime then I think the punishment would overrule the risk you take doing it.[/p][/quote]Let's put an armed truancy officer at every street corner; perhaps two, so that one can reload whilst the other maintains fire.Graham Hartley

Graham Hartley wrote:
The dreadful examination performance of pupils with good attendance at school doesn't help the case for discouraging holidays in term time. Recall the affair at Norden earlier this year in which the head of this so-so* school refused permission for a pupil to accompany his grandfather on a last holiday before the latter's death. The pupil took the holiday. What valuable learning was missed?

*&quot;In 2013, the school's result was in the bottom 40% of similar schools' results, and in the bottom 40% of all schools." (Ofsted)

No matter what the rights and wrongs of the prosecution of parents who ignore the law in relation to taking children out of school in termtime the thing is;the law of the land has been decided, and if parents are deliberately setting out to break that law then punishments will follow (and it is NOT for parents to go against what the law has said they MUST compulsorily follow). Also, some parents deliberately take more than the 10 days allocation that were allowed to them by the school and coming back a several days later than what they say they will originally, say a family takes a 10 day holiday at Walt Disney Resort Florida and comes back a few days later than the 10 days that were originally allocated, if a school condones and allows that regularly by all parents, then not only will it be chaos, but ultimately the school will also be breaking the law as well.

[quote][p][bold]Graham Hartley[/bold] wrote:
The dreadful examination performance of pupils with good attendance at school doesn't help the case for discouraging holidays in term time. Recall the affair at Norden earlier this year in which the head of this so-so* school refused permission for a pupil to accompany his grandfather on a last holiday before the latter's death. The pupil took the holiday. What valuable learning was missed?
*"In 2013, the school's result was in the bottom 40% of similar schools' results, and in the bottom 40% of all schools." (Ofsted)[/p][/quote]No matter what the rights and wrongs of the prosecution of parents who ignore the law in relation to taking children out of school in termtime the thing is;the law of the land has been decided, and if parents are deliberately setting out to break that law then punishments will follow (and it is NOT for parents to go against what the law has said they MUST compulsorily follow). Also, some parents deliberately take more than the 10 days allocation that were allowed to them by the school and coming back a several days later than what they say they will originally, say a family takes a 10 day holiday at Walt Disney Resort Florida and comes back a few days later than the 10 days that were originally allocated, if a school condones and allows that regularly by all parents, then not only will it be chaos, but ultimately the school will also be breaking the law as well.AnthonyUK